Police: Arrest may have connection to robberies

September 08, 2006|TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Thanks to the quick thinking of a gas station employee, police arrested a man they believe might be involved in a number of armed robberies this summer. Police say the 22-year-old South Bend man, of the 400 block of South 25th Street, might have robbed the McClure Oil Corp. at 2304 E. Edison Road on Monday morning. Shortly after 6 a.m., a masked man walked into the gas station, pulled out a black handgun and demanded cash from the clerk, according to police. After receiving an undisclosed amount, he ran from the store. A store employee who was arriving at the gas station in their car as the suspect was leaving followed the vehicle long enough to write down the license plate number. The employee then returned to the gas station and called police. Police located the white Toyota Camry at Courtyard Place apartments in the 400 block of South 25th Street later that day. Police have been looking for a white car they say was used in several recent holdups of Family Dollar stores in South Bend. Sgt. Rick McGee of the South Bend Police Department said police are looking into the possibility of two people being involved in Monday's robbery of McClure Oil Corp. McGee said the suspect they arrested is larger than the one the cashier described to police. It is unclear if there was more than one person in the white car. The employee told police the other assailant is 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. That man matches the description of the assailant suspect wanted in some of the Family Dollar cases and a string of other robberies in South Bend. The suspect in those cases is described by police as short with discolored skin. He may be responsible for an armed robbery at the Family Dollar at 234 S. Chapin St. on Aug. 2 and an attempted robbery Aug. 9 at the store at 3311 W. Western Ave. Police believe he is responsible for robbing Frank's Place Liquors, 327 W. Marion St., Aug. 5 and Wings Etc., 2051 E. Ireland Road, Aug. 6. He also might have attempted to rob a couple of other businesses about that time. McGee said the man they arrested Wednesday was recently released from prison. He said decisions about charges should be made soon. Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6187